If you’re planning a road trip through Kosovo, this 7 day Kosovo Itinerary is just for you.
Kosovo is a small country but has incredible diversity. From historic cities, to ruined fortresses; monasteries to mountains, sombre war memorials and a young and vibrant population. We were surprised and Kosovo quickly became one of our favourite countries.
Kosovo is still relatively untouched by tourism. It’s a great place to visit if you enjoy a more authentic, personal experience. We found the people to be warm, friendly and welcoming.
We did a Kosovo Road Trip in our campervan in June 2025. Whether you’re driving through Kosovo in your own vehicle or hiring a vehicle in the capital Pristina, Kosovo is a great country for a road trip. In this post you’ll find all you need for a successful adventurous road trip in Kosovo. While this is a short itinerary, we’ll give you some options if you want to extend it to 10 days in Kosovo.
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Special Note on the suggested 7 day Kosovo Itinerary route
We’ve organised this itinerary based on entering Kosovo at the Morinë border, near Kukës Albania, and exiting towards Skopje, North Macedonia. You could also do this itinerary in reverse. If you’re flying in and out of Pristina and hiring a car, this itinerary is definitely possible as a loop.
Since Kosovo declared its independence in 2008, the border between Kosovo and Serbia has been contentious. Serbia (along with several other countries) doesn’t recognise Kosovo. Crossing from Kosovo to Serbia can be problematic as there is no Serbian border post, and without a valid entry stamp, you could be accused of crossing into Serbia “illegally”.
This route avoids Serbia, and you should not have any problems crossing in or out from Albania, Montenegro or North Macedonia.
7 Day Kosovo Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Prizren and explore
After crossing the border at Morinë, head to Prizren. Prizren is the historic capital of Kosovo and a great starting point to learn more about the country. The city centre is compact and easy to walk around.
Begin your exploration with the Our Lady of Levjes Orthodox Church. Climb the tower at the Archaeological Museum for great views over the city. Entry to the Archaeological Museum is free, donations are gratefully accepted.
Grab a coffee at one of the cafes along the river, or perhaps a craft beer at Pub ACA.
Cross the old stone bridge and walking through Shadervan Square to see the Mosque and Catholic Cathedral. Then make your way up to the hilltop Castle/Fortress for great views across the city and beyond.
In the evening, wander the old town, and enjoy the sunset views of the Old Stone Bridge up to the Prizren Fortress. Perhaps have dinner at one of the restaurants around Shadervan Square.
We stayed overnight in a large bus carpark on the outskirts of the old town.
Day 2 Prizren to Gjakova & explore
Leaving Prizren head north towards Gjakova. Along the way stop off to walk across the Terzi Bridge (Tailor’s Bridge). This bridge was built in the 15th century and then extended in the 18th century after the river changed course. The bridge runs parallel to the modern bridge.
At either end of the bridge stop to reflect at the war memorials to local boys killed during the Kosovo war.
Gjakova has a really well-preserved old town with a very large old Bazaar. In fact, it’s the largest Bazaar in Kosovo. Here you’ll find a variety of artisan workshops, glass, woodworks and lace alongside modern clothing and souvenir stores and pavement cafes.
We visited the Hadum Mosque which was badly damaged during the Kosovo War. We were lucky to meet the head Imam, who told us some stories and invited us inside the mosque “but just for one minute” as he had to do the Call to Prayer!
A short walk from the city centre you’ll find the Qerkezi Family Museum. This is the home of the Qerkezi family and it’s now a museum of sorts recounting the family’s experiences during the Kosovo War. We suggest you call ahead and ask to visit, as the museum was closed when we went there.
In the afternoon perhaps head to one of the wineries around Rahovec. We visited Stone Castle, the largest winery in Kosovo, and did a wine tasting there. Wine tastings cost €14 for 5 wines
We stayed at Camping Ura e Fshajt which is around 15 minutes from Gjakova.
Day 3 Gjakova to Rugova Mountains via Decani Monastery
Leaving Gjakova head north towards Peja (Pec). On the way you can stop off at the Decani Monastery. This monastery dates back to the 14th century and is a UNESCO world heritage site. The frescoes inside the church are considered to be some of the best medieval frescoes in the Orthodox world.
The monastery is closely guarded by KFOR troops. We had to show our passports at the entry.
The drive through the Rugova Canyon is spectacular. The canyon walls rise up to 1000m and the road winds along the river, passing through tunnels and by a beautiful waterfall.
At the end of the valley you’ll come to the village of Kuqishte. We continued up the hill to the guesthouse Guri I Kuq. This was our favourite place we stayed in Kosovo – we actually spent three nights there and didn’t want to leave!
We parked our campervan on the edge of the cliff overlooking the valley and ate at the restaurant every day. The food was excellent and very affordable. A meal for the two of us with drinks was less than €25. The welcome here was the epitome of Kosovar hospitality.
Day 4 Hiking in Rugova Mountains
Guri I Kuq is a great base for hiking in the Rugova Mountains. We did a day hike up to the Lequini I Kuqishtes (Kuqishte Lakes). There are two lakes and while the first is quite stagnant, the second is beautiful and fresh and great for a swim.
This hike is quite steep so if you have knee issues we definitely recommend hiking poles. You’ll find a short technical setion between the two lakes, but there is a cable rope to hold onto.
We came across this small hut, and hoped it was open for coffee, but alas, it wasn’t to be.
Day 5 Rugova to Pristina via Adem Jashari Memorial
Leaving the Rugova Mountains, make your way to Pristina via the Adem Jashari Memorial Complex. A visit to this sombre site will give you a good insight into the Kosovo War.
Adem Jashari was one of the founders of the UCK (Kosovo Liberation Army). In March 1998 Serb forces attacked his family home, killing Adem and 57 members of his extended family.
The bullet-ridden, bombed out houses have been left as a memorial. Across the road you’ll find soldiers guarding the graves of Adem, his father and brother, along with the other 57 family members.
There is a small museum here which is open from 9am to 5pm daily. Sadly we arrived just after it closed.
Continue to Pristina, the capital of Kosovo. We were surprised at the amount of construction on the outskirts of the city – there are apartment blocks going up everywhere.
Day 6 Explore Pristina
Begin your day of exploring Pristina at the Newborn Monument – signifying this young, emerging nation.
Wander down the pedestrian street of Mother Theresa Square and enjoy coffee at one of the many cafes.
While the Kosovo National Museum is currently closed, Pristina houses an excellent Ethnographic Museum showcasing traditional life in Kosovo over the centuries.
We visited the small but moving Children of War museum to see the effects of the Kosovo War on the children of the country.
We were surprised that there isn’t a comprehensive museum of the Kosovo War – perhaps when the National Museum re-opens this will be covered.
Don’t miss the National Library of Kosovo – the brutalist building has ben called the Ugliest Building in the World!
Day 7 Pristina to Skopje via Bear Sanctuary and Novo Brdo
Just outside of the capital you’ll find the Pristina Bear Sanctuary. After the Kosovo War many restaurants captured wild bears and kept them in small cages to attract and “entertain” diners. The conditions these poor animals were kept in were deplorable, apparently some were even fed alcohol.
In 2013 the Austrian NGO “Four Paws” set up a sanctuary here and rescued may of these bears, after the practice of keeping them was made illegal. There are now 18 bears in the sanctuary, living out their lives in large enclosures replicating their natural environment.
There’s also a lion in captivity here too. We continue to worry about the fate of this lion, as he really isn’t suited for the cold winters with snow. Apparently there have been attempts to re-home him in an African sanctuary, but to date this hasn’t happened.
Entrance to the Bear Sanctuary is €3. The Sanctuary is open from 10am to 7pm daily in summer and 10am to 4pm in winter (excluding some religious holidays). If you’re travelling in a campervan or motorhome, the Bear Sanctuary Pristina offers free overnight stays in their carpark (no facilities).
The Novo Brdo Fortress is one of the most significant medieval ruins in Kosovo. Its located about 40km east of Pristina. The drive up to Novo Brdo is an adventure itself – the road is narrow and winds its way up to the hilltop village.
Once at the village you’ll find a couple of café/restaurants. You can wander around the ruins of the fortress (entry is free). From here you can enjoy excellent views over the surrounding countryside.
From Novo Brdo head south to exit Kosovo and enter into North Macedonia. Perhaps stop in the little-visited town of Gjilan for lunch. We ate at the Irish Pub near the centre of town (we did visit on a Muslim holiday where not much was open).
Possible variation
If you don’t love hiking, you could drop the hiking day and perhaps visit Mitrovica, the divided city. We still recommend visiting the Rugova Canyon/Mountains – it was one of our favourite places in Kosovo.
You could also spend some more time around Pristina and add a visit to the Gracinica Monastery. The frescoes in this monastery are incredible, but we weren’t allowed to take photos inside. You can see more of the monastery including the frescoes on this website.
Essential Information for your 7 Day Kosovo Itinerary
Driving in Kosovo – What’s it REALLY like?
After spending a couple of months in Albania, we felt like we were used to the impatient drivers and narrow roads. Arriving into Kosovo is a pleasant surprise, the road from Albania (Kukës) is a dual carriageway motorway (This is a toll road on the Albanian side of the border.)
The road between Prizren and Pristina is also a very good motorway. However, some of the other roads are narrow and winding, especially in the mountains. We found a lot of construction, and road works, throughout the country. On the whole driving in Kosovo was no worse than anywhere else in the Balkans.
Crossing the Border into Kosovo
The border formalities at the Morinë border (the border between Albania and Kosovo) were very straightforward. Our passports were inspected by both Albanian and Kosovo border guards but our passports were not stamped. (We are travelling on a UK and an Australian passport).
We have heard stories of people having trouble getting into Serbia if they have a Kosovo stamp in their passport, even sometimes being denied entry. However, we have read that recently the Serbian stance has softened, and they are maybe even recognising Kosovan passports now.
As we are travelling in a German registered vehicle, our van is not insured while travelling in Kosovo. We were able to purchase third-party insurance at the border. We paid €15 for 15 days insurance. 15 days is the minimum you can buy.
Currency in Kosovo
Kosovo uses the Euro as their official currency (although they are not part of the European Union). There are plenty of currency exchange offices and ATMs in the larger towns.
Language in Kosovo
Around 90% of the population in Kosovo is ethnic Albanian, with a minority of Serbs. Both Albanian and Serbian are official languages of the country. You’ll find more people speaking Serbian (and signs in the Cyrillic Alphabet) in the Serbian areas, most notably north of the river Ibar in Mitrovice and in Gracinica.
As there are continued ethnic tensions within Kosovo, at times we noticed the Serbian crossed out on road signs.
Don’t forget to download our FREE Kosovo Road Trip Checklist to help plan your trip.
FAQs
Is 7 days enough to see Kosovo?
Kosovo is a small country, less than 11,000 square kilometres. Its around the same size as the state of Connecticut, or the Greater Sydney Area.
For such a small, compact country there really is a lot to see. Having said that, we think its possible to see all the main sights in 7 days. If you can spend 10 days in Kosovo, you would be able to do this itinerary at a more relaxed pace, and perhaps add in some extra sites like Mitrovicë
Is Kosovo Motorhome friendly?
Tourism is not yet very well developed in Kosovo, but this appears to be changing. There are only a few campsites in the entire country. However, we found Kosovo to be very welcoming to us in our campervan.
Staying overnight in carparks is accepted, especially local restaurants. We were welcomed to a restaurant carpark outside Mitrovice even though the restaurant was closed for a religious holiday.
We have listed the places where we stayed in this itinerary. At sites where we paid, €15 was the usual price.
Our biggest challenge in our campervan in Kosovo was finding fresh water and particularly somewhere to dump our grey water and our toilet. One place we stayed that we haven’t listed was the Stellplatz just outside Peja. You can use their water reload and dumping facilities for €5.
Can I travel around Kosovo with Public Transport?
Public buses are quite efficient in Kosovo, although they may be slow. You can buy a bus ticket at the bus station or on the bus (cash only). Gjirafa Travel is a website with timetables for all the bus routes, and you can book online here. The site is available in English.
We haven’t used this service, but we do see it recommended in many of the Kosovo Travel forums.
Is Kosovo affordable?
Kosovo is one of the most affordable countries in Europe. If you’ve visited Albania, prices are fairly similar. A meal for two with drinks cost anywhere from €10 – 25, and most of the attractions or museums we visited were free or donation based.
Distances are short, so your fuel costs will be down. When we visited in June 2025 a litre of diesel was around €1.30
Want some visual inspiration?
Check out our Top Ten Places to visit in Kosovo video – or check out all the videos on our Balkans Road Trip
Where to next?
Why not continue your road trip into Albania, and head to the beaches of the Albanian Riviera.